Oxygen masks have traditionally been secured to a patient or user with a length of elastic strap extending through openings on opposite sides of a mask, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,843,121 and 2,859,748. The mask is secured to the patient by placing the strap around the patient's head, normally under the ears. Although such elastic strap can be adjusted to maintain the mask fit against the patient's face, normally over the nose bridge, across and around the cheeks, and under the lips or chin, there are associated disadvantages. For example, the placing of the strap around the patient's head is often undesirable because it requires movement of the patient's head in so securing the mask, contrary to preferred practice, especially where there is possible back, head or neck injury. Moreover, with the patient lying with his or her head resting on a pillow, the strap around the head, between the pillow and the patient's lower head or neck, causes discomfort, especially if the mask is worn for a substantial period of time.
An alternative means for securing an oxygen or gas delivery mask on a user or patient comprises incorporating a pair of oxygen or gas delivery tubes into the mask, which tubes are then placed over and around the patient's ears, and using some tying or restricting means for holding the tubes together beneath the chin. This type of means for securing a mask is shown and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,675,803, where two gas delivery tubes themselves are placed over the patient's ears. Although such means obviates the elastic strap problem around the patient's head, as previously described, it presents other disadvantages. For example, where an elastic rubber or synthetic elastomer tubing is used around the patient's ears, skin irritation and chafing results where the elastic contacts the patient's skin, because of the periodic stretching or flexing of the tubing. Such stretching and return of the elastic causes the skin to be alternately stretched and pinched along with the tubing, so that when such a mask is worn for any extended length of time, user or patient discomfort may be significant.
Where the tubing is of a non-elastic quality, such as polyvinyl chloride, although flexible, the tubing will not yield sufficiently along its length to achieve sufficient security or fit for the mask. For example, where the mask is properly secured on a patient's face initially, as the patient or user moves his or her head about on the pillow, or during any other facial movement, the non-elastic tubing will become loosened, but will not return back to its original tension to secure the mask against the user's face. Thus, after a period of time, the mask becomes so loosened, as to not be effective in providing necessary oxygen concentration deliveries to the patient or user, without repeated and aggrevating adjustment. It is to the elimination of the aforementioned disadvantages that the present invention is directed.